Portable acetylene-lighting apparatus.



- W. E. ROYCE.

PORTABLE ACETYLENE LIGHTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1915.

1,170,935. Patented Feb. 8,1916.

THE CDLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH 00.. WASHINGTON, h. C-

WILFRED E. Ro'Yo E,

or LEAD, soUrH DAKOTA.

PORTABLE 'AGETYLENE-LIGHTING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILFRED E. Boron, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lead, in the county of Lawrence and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Acetylene-Lighting Apparatus; hereby declare the following to be full, clear, and exactade scription' of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. v

My invention relates to improvements in portable acetylene generators, and is intended to apply for use in connectionwith a portable acetylene light.-

The invention belongs to that class of generators in which the calcium carbid is supplied'to the apparatus in the crushed or granular state, and in which water is automatically supplied, in limited quantities, for the generation of gas when needed, and in which the supply of water isjautomatically cut ofi when the pressure of the gas in the apparatus exceeds the predetermined limit. r

My invention will be understood by'ref erence to the accompanying drawings, in 'whicha Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the complete apparatus; Fig. 2 shows a central vertical section through the apparatus of Fig. 1, on a larger .scale partsbeing shown inlelevation and parts'being broken away; Fig. 3 shows a section along the line 33 of Fig.2, and looking down;'-and Fig. 4: is a detail showing in section, on a smaller scale, the carbid container detached from the apparatus, with the packing gasket sup ported thereon. 1 I

A represents a containing vessel of any suitable size or shape, preferably a cylindrical metallic bucket. Mounted in this container is the gas bell B, which is preferably in the form of a hollow cylinder with the top closed and the bottom open, and the top 7) ofwhich is perforated to receive the gas pipe 0 opening therethrough, D represents the -carbidcontainer which is separated by'the diaphragm D into an upper and a lower compartment. This diaphragm is pierced by a plurality-of vertically-disposed tubes '13, which gtubes have imperforate shells projecting'below the diaphragm D, and have the shells perforated,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 19, 1915. Serial'No'. 22,492.

and I do- Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

as at 6 above said diaphragm. Supported on this diaphragm, and surrounding the perforated portions of the tubes E, is the crushed carbid F; f

The'carbid container D is provided with an outwardly-projecting flange 03, which is attached to the top I) of the gas bell B by means of. screw bolts Grand butterfly nuts G. A packing ringN of rubber, or other suitable material, is inclosed between the flange cl and the top 6 of the bell B to secure gas-tight joints about the bolt holes.

a The receptacle A is preferably provided with a suitable handle comprising the ears Hand the bail H, which bail is slotted, as

at h, to permit the insertion 'ofthe upper end ofthe gas pipe C; and, when the apparatus is being transported, or is not in op? eration, the gas pipe C may be clamped at the desired position in said handle by means of the swinging clamp I, held in-placeby the slidingsleeve I, see Figs. 1 and 2,.or any other suitableclamping device may be used if desired.

The bail H is held in an upright position by the sliding sleeve O slipping down over the ears H, see Figs. 1 and-2. r The upper end of the gas pipe C is providedwith any suitable burner, but as illustrated in Fig. 1, I have shown a double elbow K, carrying the burner L and the re flectorM, which elbow isso arranged that the burner and reflector may be turned to the desired position for throwing the light in any desired direction.

The operation of the device is as followsz -A suitable quantity of water is poured into the receptacle A, and the carbid being iplaced in the container D, and the container being assembled in the bell B, as shown in Fig. 2, the two are dipped down-' of the tubes E and incidentally to rise to a relative heightbetween the carbid container and the bell "and between the bell and the receptacle A. As soon as the waterrises high enough to-flow through the perforations 6, above thediaphragm D, acetylene gaswill be generated, which will create an upward pressure on the top b of. the bell B, tending to drive down the water in the tubes E, and also to lift the bell B and with'it the carbid container, so that the upper level of the water in the tubes will be pressed below the diaphragm, and thus the supply of water will be automatically cut oif.

The tubes E project down a considerable distance below the diaphragm D so as to project beneath the surface of the water, and being imperforate the air is lmprisoned in the space surrounding said tubes above the surface of the water, and below the bot-- tom of the diaphragm D, which air will be compressed by the weight ofthe bell and will tend to keep the water up in the tubes and prevent the blowing down of the gas through the tubes into the water; thus providinga cushioning effect and tending to prevent as well as compensate for any suddent generation of the gas when the water flows through the smaller perforations above the diaphragm.

The gas may be turned on to the burner by means of any suitable cock, such as C, and the supply of gas will be automatically maintained as long as there is sufficient carbid in the container D. It will be obvious that the pressure or" the carbid gas will vary with the weight of the gas bell and the parts carried thereby, and that if a heavier burner be put on top of the pipe C, or weights be applied to the top of the bell, greater gas pressure may be secured, and a more powerful burner may be used, thus the ordinary 16-candle power burner may be instantly changed for a QOO-candle power burner.

As the water can reach the carbid only through the small tubes and perforations, there are no sudden variations in the generation of the gas, and these variations of pressure do not materially affect the appearance of the light.

In case it is desired to discontinue the light for any reason, the bell B is lifted up high enough in the receptacle A and the pipe 0 is clamped in the handle H with the clamp I, when the entire apparatus will then be thrown out of commission; while it will be again thrown into, operation instantly by lowering into the water.

It will be seen that the entire apparatus may be picked up and carried bodily' from place to place, and the burner and reflector may be turned to the desired position, throwing the light in any desired direction.

It will be seen that the apparatus is extremely simple and safe, and is absolutely automatic in its action. There are no valves to become clogged up with the residue from the gas, and any condensation is caught by the burner pipe and runs back into the light. The only joints in its construction are those of the two elbows, to which are fastened the burner tip and the reflector, allowing them to be moved to any position. Moreover, the

apparatus is highly economical for the reason that the amount of as eneratedis'controlled by the weight of the burner used, which weight, of course, would vary with the size of the burner.

It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in the herein described apparatus and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim 1.-An apparatus of the character described, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain Water, a gas bell projecting down into said receptacle, a carbid container car ried in the said bellland provided with a diaphragm extending transversely across the same and adapted to support the carbid, tubes projecting downwardly through said diaphragm and extending both above and below same, said tubes above said diaphragm and closed cylindrical side walls below said diaphragm, a gas pipe leading from the top of the bell, and a burner carried by said gas pipe, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus of the character de scribed, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain. water, a gas bell projecting down into said receptacle, a carbid container carried in the said 'bell and provided with a diaphragm extending transversely across the same. and adapted to support the carbid, tubes projecting downwardly through said diaphragm and extending both above and below same, said tubes having perforations above said diaphragm and closed cylindrical side walls below said diaphragm, a gas pipe leadingv from the top of the bell, and a burner and a reflector carried by said gas pipe, substantially as described.

3. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain water, a gas bell projecting down into said receptacle, a carbid container carried in the said bell and provided with a diaphragm extending transversely across the same and adapted to support the carbid, tubes projecting downwardly through said diaphragm and extending both above and below same, said tubes having perforations above said diaphragm and closed cylindrical side walls below said diaphragm, a gas pipe leading from the top of the bell, and a burner detachably connected ,to said gas pipe, substantially as described.

4. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain water, a gas bell projecting down into said receptacle, a carbid container carried in the said bell and provided with a diaphragm extending transversely across the same and adapted to support the carbid, tubes projecting downwardly through said diaphragm and extending both above and below same, said tubes having perforations having perforations above said'diaphragm and closed cylindrical side walls below said diaphragm, a gas pipe leading from the top of the bell, and a burner with a reflector carried thereby both detachably connected to said gas pipe, substantially as described.

5. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain water, a gas bell projecting down into said receptacle, a carbid container carried in the said bell and provided with a diaphragm extending transversely across the same and adapted to support the carbid, tubes projecting downwardly through said diaphragm and extending both above and below same, said tubes having perforations above said diaphragm and closed cylindrical side walls below said diaphragm, a gas pipe leading from the top of the bell, and means for clamping said gas pipe in the desired position for maintaining the apparatus out of operation when desired, substantially as described.

6. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain water, a gas bell projecting down into said receptacle, a carbid container carried in the said bell and provided with a diaphragm extending transversely across the same and adapted to support the carbid, tubes projecting downwardly through said diaphragm and extending both above and below same, said tubes having perforations Copies of this patent may be obtained for above said diaphragm and closed cylindrical side walls below said diaphragm, a gas pipe leading from the top of the bell, a burner detachably connected to said gas pipe, a handle carried by said receptacle, and a clamp carried by said handle and adapted to clamp the said gas pipe in the desired position for maintaining the apparatus out ofoperation when desired, substantially as described.

7; An apparatus of the character described, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain water, a gas bell projecting down into said receptacle, a carbid container carried in the said bell and provided with adia phragm extending transversely across the same and adapted to support the carbid,

tubes projecting downwardly through said diaphragm and extending both above and below same, said tubes having perforations apparatus out of operation ,when desired,

substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature.

WILFRED E. Boron.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

